 Of note: The only U.S.-based UCI ProTour team, its roster includes seven current or former world champions and 21 cyclists under the age of 26, including England's 21-year-old Mark Cavendish, a world Madison champion in 2005. U.S. star George Hincapie is also on the team, along with Olympian Greg Henderson of New Zealand.

 Of note: Led by U.S. Olympian Bobby Julich, this team expects to compete in the 2008 Tour de France. Also includes Jason McCartney and Juan Jose "J.J." Haedo, an Argentine who has raced at Valley Preferred Cycling Center, as well as Jens Voigt and Stuart O'Grady. Team director is former Tour de France champion Bjarne Riis.

SYMMETRICS (Canada)

www.symmetricscycling.com

 Base: Vancouver, British Columbia

 Roster of riders: 14

 Of note: Canada's top pro team, led by Svein Tuft, winner of last year's U.S. Open in Virginia, and Eric Wohlberg, two of five team riders in contention for Beijing Olympics.

TEAM RACE (Canada)

www.teamrace.com

 Base: St. Catharines, Ontario

 Roster of riders: 7

 Of note: Managed by former Tour de France leader Steve Bauer and led by Canadian U25 champion Mark Walters. Team name is acronym for Race Against Cancer Everywhere.

 Of note: Primarily races on UCI circuit in Europe. From County Mayo and led by Irish national road champion David O'Loughlin, whose uncle Declan owns the sponsoring company.

TEAM SPARKASSE (Germany)

www.team-sparkasse.de

 Base: Dortmund, Germany

 Roster of riders: 14

 Of note: German team led by Eric Baumann and Dirk Muller has been a frequent visitor to Valley Preferred Cycling Center the past three seasons. Also includes Christian Lademann, who raced at the VPCC along with Erik Weispfenning, the team's director.

TECOS-TREK (Mexico)

www.tecoscyclingteam.com

 Base: Guadalajara, Mexico

 Roster of riders: Unknown

 Of note: Mexican team made up mostly of Central and South American cyclists such as Mexico's Juan Pablo Magallanes Arwada and Gregorio Ladino Vega. Has been dominating in Southwest U.S. circuit this season.

SLIPSTREAM SPORTS/CHIPOTLE (USA)

www.slipstreamsports.com

 Base: Boulder, Colo.

 Roster of riders: 25

 Of note: Riding a high thanks to team's first invitation to Tour de France this July. Includes former Morning Call rider of the year Mike Friedman and several other VPCC regulars. Top riders are Christina Vande Velde, Danny Pate and New Zealand's Julian Dean. With 25 riders, race day roster is anyone's guess.

BMC RACING (USA)

www.bmcracingteam.com

 Base: Santa Rosa, Calif.

 Roster of riders: 16

 Of note: Second year of existence. A mixture of youth and seasoned veterans. BMC is led by former Swiss road champion Alexander Moos and upcoming young star Taylor Tolleson. Earned a Professional Continental classification for this year.

BISSELL PRO CYCLING TEAM (USA)

www.bissellprocycling.com

 Base: Delton, Mich.

 Roster of riders: 14.

 Of note: Team leader Ben Jacques-Maynes of California cleaned up last season with a second-place finish in the USA Cycling National Race Calendar. Bissell is first-year sponsor for the team formerly known as Priority Health.

COLAVITA/SUTTER HOME (USA)

www.teamcolavita.com

 Base: Linden, N.J.

 Roster of riders: 13

 Of note: Former VPCC rider Sebastien Alexandre is director for the sixth- year team, which includes local favorite Kyle Wamsley, a former U.S. national champion in Team Pursuit who raced in Europe part of last season. Team also includes Argentina's Gustavo Artacho and Alejandro Borrajo, as well as Lucas Sebastian Haedo, younger brother of road sprint star Juan Jose Haedo.

DLP RACING (USA)

www.kaneracingteam.com

 Base: Raleigh, N.C.

 Roster of riders: 10

 Of note: Fourth year for the team, first under UCI Continental classification. DLP is made up almost entirely of riders from the Carolinas. Spencer Beamer and Thad Dunlin are the only veteran competitors on this young team. Texas Instruments is main sponsor.

HEALTH NET (USA)

www.teamhealthnet.com

 Base: Oakland, Calif.

 Roster of riders: 12

 Of note: Directed by Mike Tamayo, husband of women's pro rider Lauren Franges. Led by Kirk O'Bee, a former USPRO criterium champion, and also includes Phil Zajicek. The team has won National Racing Calendar team title four straight years. Rory Sutherland won individual NRC points standing in 2007.

JELLY BELLY (USA)

www.jellybellycycling.com

 Base: San Marcos, Calif.

 Roster of riders: 11

 Of note: Instantly recognizable for the kids, Jelly Belly is directed by former U.S. Olympian Danny Van Haute. Jelly Belly has added six new riders this season, including USPRO criterium champion Brad Huff and Aussie velodrome star Nic Sanderson. Huff is a U.S. Olympic hopeful.

JITTERY JOE'S (USA)

www.thebeanteam.com

 Base: Athens, Ga.

 Roster of riders: 11

 Of note: Neil Shirley provided a commotion at the end of last season when he outsprinted U.S. pro Freddy Rodriguez for third place at the USPRO road race championships. Australia's Trent Wilson is the other top rider.

KELLY BENEFIT STRATEGIES/MEDIFAST (USA)

www.kbsmedifast.com

 Base: Minneapolis, Minn.

 Roster of riders: 13

 Of note: Managed by Annandale, N.J.'s Jonas Carney, the second-year team sports a stable of 13 riders led by Canadian Martin Gilbert, a sprinter who won the USPRO criterium championship. Carney was a top U.S. kilo rider on the track and a dynamic criterium rider as well.

RITE AID (USA)

www.riteaidprocycling.com

 Base: Wayne, Pa.

 Roster of riders: 11

 Of note: Roster includes area favorites Bobby Lea and Zionsville native Stephan Kincaid as well as Easton's Bill Elliston. Kutztown's Mike "Speedy" Beers, a VPCC fixture, is team mechanic. Lea is on U.S. Olympic long team and in two weeks will compete for a spot in Beijing.

 Of note: Second-year team is like the bad boys of racing with Olympic gold medal winner Tyler Hamilton, veteran Freddy Rodriguez and young gun Mike Creed working under the leadership of team director Mariano Friedick, a former U.S. Olympian. Former VPCC Australian heartthrob Pete Dawson, an Olympic gold medallist and world champion in team pursuit, also is on the team.

TEAM SUCCESSFUL LIVING (USA)

www.teamsuccessfulliving.com

 Base: Ventura, Calif.

 Roster of riders: 12

 Of note: Steve Hegg, yet another former U.S. Olympian, is team director for this third-year team, which features young gun Cody O'Reilly, son of racing legend Rory O'Reilly. Canadian criterium champ Charles Dionne is the top rider. Ricardo Escuela of Argentina is the main sprinter.

TIME PRO CYCLING (USA)

www.timeprocycling.com

 Base: Winston-Salem, N.C.

 Roster of riders: 12

 Of note: An all-U.S. developmental pro team includes rising star Jackie Simes of New Tripoli, a 2006 junior national champ in team pursuit. Simes competed in European Six Day races this past winter.

 Of note: Created in 2004 by racers Phil Southerland and Joe Eldridge, who have Type 1 diabetes. Managed by Tom Schuler and directed by Ed Beamon. Four of team's 15 current members are managing Type 1 diabetes. Purpose of the team is to show that people who manage Type I diabetes can accomplish anything.

TOSHIBASANTO PRO (USA)

www.toshibacycling.com

 Base: Athens, Ga.

 Roster of riders: 15

 Of note: Georgia-based fourth-year team led by Colombia's John Fredy Parra, the former captain of Tecos, and former Jittery Joe's rider Dan Vaillancourt. Team looks to improve upon last year after adding six new riders for 2008.

TOYOTA-UNITED (USA)

www.toyota-united.com

 Base: Newport Beach, Calif.

 Roster of riders: 14

 Of note: Annually one of strongest U.S. continental teams. Last year, Toyota-United won 41 races, so it knows how to put together successful strategies and tactics. Australian time trial champion Ben Day and Canadian road race champ Dominique Rollin make this a team to watch. Cuba's Ivan Dominguez is its top sprinter.